Method of making metal rings



Sept- 13, 1938. T. G. MONAHAN 2,130,324

METHOD OF MAKING METAL RINGS Filed Oct. 2, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept.A 13, 1938; T. G. MoNAl-IAN METHOD OF MAKING METAL RINGS Filed Oct. 2, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 ze as 3,4 se

INVENTOR Thomas Gr- Monahan I U IIN? HIM SePt- 13, 1938- T. G. MONAHAN 2,130324 METHOD OFMAKING METAL RINGS v Filed OCT.. 2, 1954' 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 9 31 eeee@ @as 0 60 6I I I I I I I I I r' lNvENToR Thomas G. Monahan SePt- 13, 1938. T. G. MONAHAN 2,130,324

METHOD OF MAKING METAL RINGS Filed Oct. 2, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 'Thomas G. Monahan ATTORNEY Sept 13, 1938-` T. G. MONAHAN 2,130,321

METHOD OF MAKING METAL RINGS Filed Oct. 2, 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Thomas Gzmnohcm www?,

Sept- 13, w38. T. G. MoNAHAN 2,130,324

MET'HOD OF MAKING METAL RINGS Filed Oct. 2, 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 |NVEN'TOR homos G-.Mo non ELM?? f Sept. 13, 1938. T. G. MONAHAN METHOD OF MAKING METAL RINGS l Filed Oct. 2, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 INVENTOR Thomas G. Monahan TORNEY Sept. 1'3, 1938. T. G. MONAHAN METHOD OF MAKING METAL RINGS Filed Oct. 2, 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 I, V-r

'Thoma Monahan Patented Sept. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES METHOD oF MAKING METAL RINGS Thomas G. Monahan, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, assignor to The Firestone Steel Products Company, Akron, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application October 2,

6 Claims.

The invention relates to methods of making metal rings, and more especially it relates to procedure and mechanism for concurrently producing a plurality of metal rings by longitudinally shearing a helical coil of metal strip material.

In 4the illustrative embodiment of` the invention herein presented, the invention is shown in its application to the manufacture of rings such as the side rings or removable anges of pneumatic tire rims. In the manufacture of rings from heavy metal strips, it isrequired that the end portions of the strips be firmly gripped by the mechanism that bends them to circular shape, with the result thatvsaizd end portions are more or less lmutilated and require subsequently to be removed. By using longer metal strips, forming each into a helical coil, and then shearing the coil longitudinally to provide a plurality of individual rings, it is possible to produce a plurality of rings and have'but two waste-ends from each coil instead of two from each ring as heretofore. On large production the saving thus effected is' substantial.

The chief objects of the invention are to provide an improved method and improved apparatus for longitudinally shearing a helical coil of metal strip material; to provide apparatus of the character mentioned capable of shearing coils of a large number of diierent diameter/s; to provide for shearing the coils accuratelyyto/pifoduce rings of the proper diameter; and to obviate waste in the manufacture of rings suitable for tire Irim iianges. Other objects will be manifest.

Of the accompanying drawings;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of apparatus embodying and adapted to carry out the invention in its preferred form, and the work therein, in work-receiving position, a part of the apparatus being broken away;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 as viewed from the line 2-2 thereof;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure l;

Figure 5 is a detail elevation, partly in section,

' showing a yielding connection between an oscillating arm and an angular extension thereof;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 5; Figure 7 is a section, on a larger scale, on the line 1 1 of Figure 1;

' Figure 8 is a partial side elevation of the apparatus viewed from the side opposite Figure 1;

Figure 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Figure 8;

oscillating arms;

1934, Serial No. 746,527

Figure 11 is an edge view of a helical coil of metal strip material constituting the work, before mounting in the improved shearing apparatus;

Figure 12 is an edge view of one of the rings produced from the coil shown in Figure 11;

Figure 1 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of the ring shown in Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a view similar to Figure l showing the operation of expanding the work to determinate size before the shearing operation; and

Figure 15 `is a section on the line |5|5 of Figure 14.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus comprises an upright support or frame 20, the upper part of which is provided with suitable vertical slideways for a reciprocable head 2|. The latter is reciprocated by means of the usual eccentric one-revolution clutch (not shown), and the operation of said clutch is controlled vby a foot pedal 22 that is pivoted at 23 at the base of the frame 20. The head 2| carries a removable adapter block 24 at its lower end, and the underside of said adapter block carries a tool holder 25 in which are mounted a plurality of cutting tools or blades 26, 26. The tool holder and tools are disposed obliquely with relation to the horizontal, being inclined upwardly toward the front of the machine.l

Mounted upon the front of frame 20, below head 2|, is a bracket-like structure 28 having an overhanging, forwardly and obliquely upwardly extending portion or horn 29. The top of horn 29 is transversely recessed at 30 and mounted in said recess is a die block 3| that is slightly tapered upwardly on its lateral faces, and has a tongue and groove connection with the horn structure at its bottom. The die block is disposed at the same oblique angle as the horn and tool holder 25, and carries a plurality of dies or stationary shear elements 32, 32 that cooperate with the respective blades 26 to shear the work when the head 2| is lowered.

Mounted upon the top of horn 29, at each side of die block 3| and parallel thereto, are stationary spreader shoes 34, 34. Said spreader shoes have tongue and groove connection with said horn,and the die block 3| and spreader shoes arexedly secured to the horn by wedge blocks 35, 35 that are secured to the horn between the die block and the respective spreader shoe. Any suitable means such as the screws 36 may be employed for attaching said wedge blocks to the horn. Each spreader shoe 34 is formed with a plurality of transverse slots 31, 31, see Figures 1 and 14, and a shaft 38 is mounted in the spreader shoe. longitudinally thereof, so as to intersect said slots. Journaled on shaft 33 are a plurality of rollers 33, 33, which rollers are aligned with said slots and provide'support for work mounted in said slots. The spreader shoes 'are so positioned with relation to the die block 3| and dies 32 thereon that work supported on the spreader shoes will span the die block, in proper relation to the dies to permit subsequent shearing of the work, but in slightly spaced relation to the dies to permit relative movement therebetween during the expanding of the work to size prior to the shearing operation.

The work as it comes to the shearing apparatus is a coil of strip metal 4| consisting of a plurality of laterally abutting, helical convolutions, the end portions of the coil, which require to be severed because of mutilation during the ceiling operation, being substantially overlapped. The work shown is arcuate in cross-section, being designed ior the manufacture of side flanges 'for pneumatic tire rims, so that the adjacent convo# lutions of the coil are more or less nested. The diameter of the coil is substantially the same as the finished rim flanges, that is, after the coil has been cut into individual rings and the ends of the latter welded together.

In mounting the coil 4I in the apparatus, the operator passes the coil over horn 23, manually separates the respective convolutions of the coil, and inserts them in the respective slots 31 of the spreader shoes 34, as shown in Figure 1, that portion of each convolution intermediate the spreader shoes being properly positioned with re.- lation to the shearing dies 32, as shown best in Figure 3. The overlapped end portions of the coll are positioned centrally at the top thereof, one on each side of the dies 32, as shown in Figure 2. After the coil 4| is mounted upon the apparatus, it is expanded or increased in diameter so that the rings sheared therefrom are of longer length than the circumference of the ilnished rings, the excess length being utilized during the subsequent welding together of the end portions of the rings. Expansion of the coil is effected by radially directed rolling pressure applied to four different points on each convolution of the coil.

Referring now to Figure 3 of the drawings, it will be seen that the horn 29 is formed with a longitudinal bore 43 extending from a rectangular shaped recess 44 in the front end of the horn to a transverse slot 45 through the rear end of the horn, there being a transverse slot 43 of larger size, contiguous with slot 45, extending through bracket structure 23. As shown most clearly in Figure I5, bore 43 is elliptical in section and has its long axis vertically disposed. Slidably mounted for vertical movement in front recess 44 is a bearing block 41, said bearing block being retained in said recess by a pair of guard plates 43, 48 affixed to the front end of the horn. Vertical adjustment of bearing block 41 is effectedby means of an adjusting screw 43 that has an enlarged head at its lower end mounted in an undercut slot 50 formed in the top of the bearing block, said screw being threaded upwardly through the horn structure into a recess 5| in the top thereof, and having a lock nut 52 threaded onto its upper end portion bearing against the bottom of said recess.

A somewhat similar rear bearing block 53 is slidably mounted in transverse slot 45 between lateral guide plates 54, 54 positioned over the open ends of said slot as shown in Figure 4. Bearing block 53 is provided with an upwardly extending adjusting screw 33 that has a lock nut 33 threaded onto its upper end portion, which is p'ositioned within a recess 31 in the top of the horn structure. Both adjusting screws have squared end portions for engagement with a wrench.

Journaled in bushings 33 of bearing blocks 41,

53 is a quill 33 that projects beyondthe said' bearing blocks at both its ends, and journaled in quill 33 is a shaft 3| that projects beyond both ends of said quill, the arrangement being such that. quill 33 and shaft 3| may be moved angularly of each other. Mounted upon the projecting front end portion of quill 33 is a laterally extending spreader arm 32, and a somewhat similar spreader arm 33 is secured to the projecting rear end portion of said quill, the arms 32, 33 being parallel to each other, the rear arm 33 extending outwardly from slot 43. In like manner a spreader arm 34, similar to arm 32, is mounted upon the projecting front end portion of shaft 3|, and a spreader arm 35, similar to arm 33, is mounted upon the projecting rear end portion of said shaft and projects outwardly from slot 43. Arms 34, 33 are parallel to each other, and project in opposite direction with relation to arms 32 and 33. Thus arms 32, 33 may be oscillated in unison by angular movement of quill 33, and arms 34, 33 may be similarly oscillated by angular movement of shaft 3 I.

Quill 33 and shaft 3| are rocked in unison by meansl of a double-acting fluid pressure cylinder 33 that is formed integral with bracket structure 23, below horn 23, the axis of said cylinder bein! perpendicular to the axis of said horn. The fluid pressure cylinder comprises a piston 31, and a downwardly-extending piston rod 33 upon the lower or outer end of which a yoke or cross-head 33 is mounted, said cross-head having limited adjustability longitudinally of said piston rod. Secured to the respective ends of the cross-head 33 are drag-rods 13, 13 that extend upwardly therefrom on opposite sides of the cylinder 33, passing slidingly through respective Zuidebrackets 1| formed on the cylinder wall. At their upper ends the drag-rods are pivotally connected to one end of respective arcuate drag links 12, the other ends of said links being pivotally connected to respective rear spreader arms 33 and 55. Operation of cylinder 33 moves the arms 33, 35 between the positions shown infull lines in Figure 'I and the positions shown in broken lines in the same ligure.

Pressure fluid such as water, is conducted to the upper end of cylinder 33 through inlet-andoutlet pipe 15, and in like manner is conducted to the lower end of said cylinder through inletand-outlet pipe 16. Fluid conductor pipes 15, 13 extend to a four-way valve 11, Figure l0, that is mounted upon the rear of the frame 23, said valve also being connected to an exhaust pipe 13, and a fluid supply pipe 13 that extends to a source of pressure fluid (not shown). 11 is of the sliding type, and is operated by the piston rod 33 of a double-acting iluid pressure cylinder 3| that is mounted beside and in axial alignment with said valve 11. Pressure iluid, preferably air, is supplied to the respective ends of cylinder 3| through inlet-and-outlet pipes 32, 33 that extend to a four-way rotary plug valve 34 mounted upon the side of apparatus frame 23, said valve also including an exhaust pipe 35, and a uid inlet pipe 33 connected with a source of fluid pressure (not shown).

The valve The rotary plug of valve 34 is turned angularly 75 by means of a pair of sprockets 81, 88, Figure 9, secured on the stem thereof. Secured to sprocket 81 and passing partly about the same is a sprocket chain 89 that has its other end connected to a foot pedal 90, the latter being pivotally mounted at 9| on the base of frame 20 and extending forwardly therefrom to the front of the machine. Secured to sprocket 88 and passing partly about the same is a sprocket chain 92 that has its other end connected to one end of a tension spring 98, the other end of the latter being secured to a fixed' point on frame 20.

'I'he arrangement is such that depressing foot pedal 90 turns Valve 84 in one direction to admit fluid through one of pipes 82, 83 tooperate cylinder 8| which in turn so operates valve 11 as to 4 opposite direction to reverse the procedure described, and thereby to move the spreader arms spring 93, which spring also lifts the foot pedal to elevated, inoperative position, which position may be dened by a stop-bracket which the pedal may engage.

It is essential that pedal 90 remain in depressed position during the interval that pedal 22 is depressed and released, and to this end automatically operating mechanical means ls provided so that the operator is not required to use both feet to operate the apparatus. Said means comprises a one-tooth ratchet 91 mounted upon the stem of valve 84 beside sprocket 88. Engagable with ratchet 91 is a pawl 98 that is pivotally mounted at 99 upon a suitable bracket secured to frame 20, said pawl having a medial ratchet-engaging portion that engages the single tooth of ratchet 91, when the plug of valve 84 is turned counterclockwise as viewed in Figure 8 by the depressing of foot pedal 90, with the result that pedal 90 remains depressed after the operator removes his foot therefrom. The free end of pawl 98 is pivotally connected to the lower end of a vertically arranged link |00, the upper end of which is pivotally connected to one end of a lever |0| that is pivoted at |02, at its middle. The opposite end of lever |0| is positioned in contact with the underside of one end of a lever |03 that is pivotally mounted at |04 on frame 20, at right angles tolever |0|. The other end of lever |03 extends into the path of a pawl or click |05 that is pivotally mounted at |06 on the reciprocating head 2|. The arrangement is such that the pawl moves freely about its pivot |06 so as to pass lever |03, in the downward movement 0f the head 2| without disturbing said lever. In the rising movement of said head, pawl |05 engages and tilts lever |03 so that the latter tilts lever |0| and thereby lifts link |00 to raise pawl 98 out of engagement with ratchet 91, thereby permitting spring 93 to turn valve 84 clockwise and lifting foot pedal 90 to its elevated position. This results in reversing the position of piston 61 in cylinder 66 .whereby the spreader arms are returned to inoperative position.

The work-expanding mechanisms carried by the respective pairs of spreader arms 62, 63 and 64, 65, on opposite sides of horn 29, are substantially identical so that but one of them need be described, the same reference numerals being used for both. Carried at the free ends of spreader arms 62, 63 is a shaft |01, said arms being formed with longitudinally disposed slots |08 through whichthe shaft extends so that it is adjustable radially with relation to the axis of said arms. Journaled upon shaft |01, centrally thereof, is an extension arm |09,l and at each side of said extension arm respective tubular spacer sleeves |0, I0 are mounted upon said shaft. The end portions of the spreader arms are formed with parallel knurling on their opposite faces, and the adjacent end faces of the respective spacer members are complementally knurled, the arrangement being such asto prevent relative movement between spreader arms and spacer sleeves. Similarly knurled washers H I are mounted on the shaft |01 between the outer faces of the spreader arms and nuts H2 on the respective ends of the shaft. The medial por- \.tion of extension arm |09 is cut away at I3 about shaft |01, and journaled on the latter, in said cut-away portion, is a plurality of grooved rollers H4, H4. At its free margin the extension arm is formed with a plurality of transverse slots i l5, H5, and mounted in said slots are respective rollers H6 that are journaled on a shaft H1 that traverses` said slots H5. The rollers H6 are substantially in alignment with the respective rollers H4. Suitable concentric recesses H8 are formed inthe abutting faces of the extension arm |09 and one of the spacer sleeves I0, and in said recesses is mounted a torsion spring H9 that encircles shaft |01 and has its end portions engaging the extension arm and spacer sleeve respectively, as is most clearly shown in Figures 5 and V6.

The arrangement is such that the extension arm |09 normally yieldingly is urged angularly about shaft |01 toward the adjacent side of horn 29. Mounted upon the lateral face of horn 29 is a cam plate |2| that has a cam face that is convex about an axis extending longitudinally of the horn. Engaging cam |2| is a plurality of cam rollers |22 that are journaled upon a shaft of extension arm |09, the torsion spring H9 urging the cam rollers constantly into engagement with the cam.-

In the operation of the apparatus, the same being in the inoperative position shown in Figures 1 and 2, the operator mounts the work-coil. 4| by separating the convolutions thereof and seating them upon the supporting rollers 39 and in proper relation to shearing dies 32, with the overlapped end portions of the coil in proper angular position as previously has been described. It will be noted that the distance between the supporting rollers 39 and shaft 6| is greater than the radius of the work-coil. This is necessarily so and the feature of providing adjusting screws 49, 55 for bearing blocks 41, 53 respectively make it possible to alter the position of shaft 6| to obtain this condition when work-coils of different diameters are to be sheared.

The operator then depresses pedal 90 which operates valves 84 and 11 to cause pressure fluid to ow into the upper end of cylinder 66, thereby moving cross-head 09 downwardly and moving the spreader arms 62, 63 and 64, 65 and extension arms |09 from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 15. As said arms move to the latter position, rollers H4 engage the respective convolutions of the work at two widely separated points and rollers H6 engage said convolutions at spaced points, and press outwardly upon said convolutions, with the result that the diameter of the work-coil is enlarged by coil.

a, partial uncoiling or untwisting thereof, which shortens the overlap of the end portions of the Since the coil Il is supported entirely upon rollers, the expansion of the coil is accomplished with minimum effort and friction. As soon as pedal 90 is depressed, pawl 98 engages one-tooth ratchet 91 associated with valve 0I, and prevents reversal of said valve when the operator removes his foot from pedal 90, with the result that the spreader arms continue to hold to work-coil in expanded position. The rollers 39, ill and provide six points of support for each convolution of the work whereby the latter is securely held with but slight deformation, if any.

The operator then depresses foot pedal 22v which operates the proper mechanism to cause the head 2| to perform an operative cycle consisting of a downward movement and then an upward movement. At the lowermost position of the head 2|, the blades 26 carried thereby are in shearing relation with dies 32, thereby shearing the several convolutions of the work, and producing a plurality of split rings |25, Figures 12 and 13.' As the head 2| rises after its downward, cutting stroke, click |05 on said head engages and tilts lever |03, which motion is translated through lever |0| and link |00 to pawl 98 to lift the latter so that it releases one-tooth ratchet 91.

Spring 93 then lifts pedal 90, and reverses the position of valve 84, thus causing valve 11 to discharge the pressure fluid from the upper end of cylinder 65 and concurrently to charge `the lower end thereof, whereby the spreader larms are returned to their normal inoperative positions. This completes one cycle of operation of the apparatus. Because the Work-coil 4| is sheared while in expanded' condition, each ring |25 is somewhat longer than a convolution of the original coil, so that when said rings are removed from the shearing apparatus their end portions overlap about a half inch, as is clearly shown in Figure 13. This overlap or surplus is utilized when the respective ends of the rings subsequently are welded together to produce endless structures.

The apparatus is rapid and accurate in operation, it is capable of adjustment for cutting coils of various diameters, and it accomplishes the other advantages set out in the foregoing statement of objects.

Modification may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of making metal rings which comprises forming a metal strip into a helical coil of a plurality of convolutions, supporting the coil with the convolutions thereof in uniformly spaced relation, increasing the diameter of said coil, and then concurrently severing all the convolutions of the coil while its diameter is so increased.

2. The method of makingl metal rings which comprises forming a metal strip into a helical coil of a plurality of convolutions, supporting the coil with all the convolutions thereof in laterally spaced relation to each other, effecting an untwisting of the coil so as uniformly to increase the diameter thereof, and then concurrently shearing all the convolutions of the coil in a direction vtransversely of its axis to produce individual rings from the respective convolutions thereof.

3. The method of making metal rings which comprises forming a metal strip into a helical coil of a plurality of convolutions, axially elongating the coil to uniformly separate the convolutions thereof, concurrently applying outwardly directed rolling pressure to the inner periphery of the respective convolutions of the coil, to increase the diameter of the latter uniformly throughout its length, and then shearing through the respective convolutions of the coil, parallel to the axis thereof, while its diameter is so increased.

4. The method of making metal rings which comprises forming a coil consisting of a plurality of helical convolutions of metal strip material, supporting the coil with all the convolutions thereof in laterally spaced relation to each other, concurrently applying outwardly directed pressure upon all of said convolutions so as uniformly to increase the diameter of the coil, and then concurrently severing all the convolutions of the coil while their diameter is so increased.

5]. The method of Vmaking metal rings which comprises shaping a metal strip to circular form with the end portionsl thereof substantially overlapped, retracting the ends of the strip to reduce the extent of the overlap thereof and thereby to increase the diameter of the structure, and then transversely shearing the overlapped portions of the structure in a direction transversely of its axis, while its diameter is so increased whereby both of said end portions are removed from the structure.

6. The method of making metal rings having overlapped ends of determinate extent which comprises forming a strip of metal into a ring of the exact diameter desired, the end portions of the ring being substantially overlapped, determinately distending the ring, against the spring of the metal, to increase its diameter and to retract the strip ends to reduce the extent of the overlap thereof, transversely shearing overlapped portions of the ring in a direction transversely of its axis whereby both end portions of the ring simultaneously are removed, and thereafter releasing the ring so that it restores itself to its original diameter with overlapped ends of determinate length. THOMAS G. MONAHAN. 

